GMC makes some of America’s favorite cars, but GMC isn’t perfect, and many of GMC’s cars have issues. Like other automakers, GMC’s vehicles can suffer severe problems that’ll need to be repaired at a hefty cost. That brings us to the GMC Acadia problems many owners have dealt with. Here’s a look at some of the most common issues that affect the GMC Acadia.

GMC Acadia gas cap and check engine light issues

According to RepairPal, one of the most common problems that the GMC Acadia can experience is that the check engine light may turn on for a somewhat trivial reason. Rather than a serious issue, what’s happening is that the gas cap becomes loose or worn, triggering the check engine light to turn on. This is a straightforward fix that can be fixed by tightening the cap. Other owners may have to replace their cap, but that’s not an expensive fix.

However, what is expensive is that GMC service centers have reportedly charged people over $100 just to diagnose the issue, with a range reported from $88 to $111. This means that diagnosing this issue may be more expensive than fixing it for many Acadia owners. This problem generally happens when the car has about 66,000 miles on the odometer. It had been reported on seven model years of the Acadia: the 2007 to 2012 model years and the 2014 model year. 

More check engine light problems with the Acadia’s first generation

RepairPal says another common issue with the GMC Acadia again has to do with the check engine light. However, unlike the gas cap problem, this issue is more severe and will likely cost more money to fix. Like the other check engine light problem, this problem mainly affected a handful of model years, namely the 2007 to 2012 model years.

This 2017-2012 GMC Acadia problem usually happens when the model has roughly an average of 111,000 miles on the odometer. What happens is the check engine light will turn on, and then it’ll display one of these eight codes: P0011, P0014, P0021, P0024, P0341, P0346, P0336, or P0391.

Unfortunately, rather than just buying a new gas cap, this problem can be one of two things. It may mean that the Acadia’s power control module needs an update or that its camshaft needs to be corrected. Regardless of which one of these issues is the culprit, the Acadia will need to get serviced, and it’ll cost a lot, with a head gasket replacement costing between $2,217 and $2,617.

The GMC Acadia’s transmission is affected by the check engine light

Unsurprisingly, the most common issue with the GMC Acadia happens to do with its check engine light once again. Similar to the other two check engine light issues, this problem affects a handful of model years ranging from the 2007 to 2013 model years and the 2015 model year. This issue also happens on average after the Acadia’s logged about 93,000 miles on the odometer. 

This was the most common problem and by far the most serious and costly issue with the Acadia. What happens is that the check engine light will turn on and display one of these seven codes: P0716, P0776, P0717, P0777, P2714, P2715, and/or P02723, according to RepairPal. This issue usually involves the clutch wave plate in the Acadia’s transmission breaking down. 

As a result, many owners reported their GMC Acadia models simply coming to a stop while in the middle of the road. Since this is a transmission issue, it also means that it’s expensive to fix, as a complete transmission rebuild may be necessary. The average cost of this will vary, but most owners reported a price tag that was well in the $2,000 to $4,000 range.